Heaps of memorable experiences to choose from – among those are crossing 15 cold rivers on a hiking trip, clearing an elderly's backyard of typhoon debris, organising a Subway lunch for my Faculty as a graduate student representative, volunteering with the church choir and liturgy, visually absorbing the intricate artwork of ancient Egyptian coffins and sarcophagi plus a close-up encounter with real mummies, dancing in a snowfall (answered candle prayers!) whilst watching the sunrise like the Aurora Australis in the morning (a heavenly bonus!), and immersing through an elective subject in rural India that is the birthplace of primary health care inspired by the concept of empowering outcast women as village health workers. The best part is gaining lifelong friends from diverse backgrounds through it all!

I also want to highlight volunteering as a peer mentor with a charity organisation, Community Health and Student Engagement (CHASE), for Year 11 and 12 students in an underprivileged suburb. Working with a team of university students in Victoria, I facilitated classroom discussions on life skills such as budgeting, the health impacts of alcohol and other drugs, the impacts of climate change and how to take action, respect and relationships, and mental health. The students seemed shy and indifferent at some point, especially at the beginning, but it only motivated me more to bring out the potential I saw in them.

I committed to showing up in our fortnightly workshops which helped in building rapport and trust with the students. During their project showcase at the end, it was a very fulfilling and proud moment to witness everyone's efforts and each one mustering the courage to present in front of their teachers, the community partners, and our team. I am hopeful that my brief encounters with them made a difference in their lives and that they, too, choose to make a difference